Of course, we also have the category of "worst kit I never built". You know those kits you buy on a whim, get it home, open the box, then instantly use it to hold down the trash can should gravity reverse itself.

I bought some East German/Polish monstrosity from Plasticard, or was it PlasticKit? Either way it was PlastiCrap!

There is relevance in the title, the worst kit you have built, not the ones you failed to build but, that said, both are entertaining. I have a short run 1/72 scale FokkerDVIII in the stash from Beechnut Models that I get out, look at, shake my head and replace it. There aren't enough parts in it to call it a kit exactly 11. Decals are crayoned orange circles, all struts, guns, undercarriage,and tail skid are absent,the flash on the wheels doubles their diameter, there is nothing in the fuselage and the tailplane is too large so the rudder doesn't fit. Good job I didn't pay much for it

Beechnut! They cause almost the same foreboding shiver of dread that Merlin Models kits are known for!

Hi there

The worst kit I've ever built? - or should we just say "tackled" - because it might have been so tough, we gave up...

Yeah - the 1:48 Modelcraft F-82 is up at the top of my list (but with a great deal of work, it certainly can be made presentable...). FM's Halifax is real shocker (and no - I still haven't managed to get Mal to "eat his shorts" with that one yet - but one day! (I didn't throw it away...) ) - and Silver Wings' Martin Baker MB-5 is contender for the list...

What about kits that were so bad, even masochists like us baulked at even buying them?!

I love short run kits of unusual subjects... but even I saw sense in Dorking Models one day when I opened the box of an Eastern European 1:48 kit of a P-66 Vanguard (I can't remember the maker) - I could only just tell where the flash ended and the short-shot parts began! It was finally a world of pain too far - even for me! LOL!

All the best

Rowan

How about the Frog Fairey Gannet anti submarine aircraft!! Aweful kit, but I bought it 25 years ago anyway. Russell

Hmmmmm...for aircraft kits, three come to mind. These three are on my shelf of shame because they were so awful that I:

1. Threw away the injection molded (in soft pastel pink plastic -- no kidding!) 1/48 Yak-3, by a unremembered Eastern Bloc model company, ordered from Squadron c. 1991;

2. Hobbycraft's horrible clone of Monogram's 1/72 F-82. I did manage to build it for a disabled modeler, but the parts were not all formed, those that were had severe blemishes and distortions, and detail looked like a flame had been slowly passed over it;

3. Meikraft 1/72 SB2U Vindicator, my first attempt at a mixed-media, limited-run, cottage industry kit. I always thought my modeling skill would improve to the point that I could overcome the model, and while they might have, my patience deteriorated. I don't recall if I still have it or threw it away. After I published the review of this model, Jackflash posted background information about Meikraft that made me appreciate Meikraft's endeavour. I just don't think I'll ever finish this model, even if I still have it.

A non-air kit I recall was my foray into the 1/35 Samurai sets by Aoshima in the mid-1970s. Gosh, they were horrible from every perspective: thick parts, mutant hands, token facial features, legs and arms that, well, the sprue frames are more realistic. The kit oxtops can be seen here: http://vsmodel.smugmug.com/VintageBoxarts/135-Aoshima-Samurai-Figures/17433105_vmWnpx#!i=1326466208&k=FKhzF7f

Hmmm....... the one that springs to mind is a 1/72 scale Sepecat Jaguar by Heller, that I built around 25 years ago when my modelling skills weren't all that great. The fuselage came in 4 pieces, and each piece was badly warped. The only kit I've ever given up on!

Hmmmmmmmm, is a campaign lurking in here somewhere?

Something in the vein of, it has to be horrible, it can be in any scale, any era etc, etc. It doesn't have to be painted BUT it does have to be decaled. And maybe it has to be a short run campaign, say, 3-months.

The ribbon motif would have to include a shape which appears to be a pile of poo.

Sounds fun: a retry on that terrible kit that ended up in the bin

I'm currently working on my worst kit, the Airfix Hawker Typhoon.

I'd go for that campaign, or should that be cam-pain. I'd say the kit should be built only from the parts supplied and unpainted, if it is that bad it isn't worth wasting money on AM parts or paint!

A second for the Frog Gannet. I tried the revell rebox long before they had the sense to give us a new one. Very crude and toy like but it looked like a Gannet without having to resort to standing 12 feet away and squinting.
Going back to my child hood I used to buy Starfix kits from a 99p store in my home town. Now in my defense I was young, naive, and eager to learn how to build and paint properly before blowing my pocket money on something more expensive. But they were horrible kits. I have left overs from a supposedly 1/48 Bf109E lying about somewhere. It was covered in rivets that make even the worst of Airfix's rivet heavy models look positively scale like. It had a correct spinner for an E, but the fuselage and wings of an F. And the least said about the decals the better. Despite the faults they were good learning tools.
I still have their Huey half built in my stash. Now, that actually doesn't look that bad, besides from simplistic detail and pilots that look like the alien in the Roswell autopsy film. I cut the doors of it with the idea of trying to scratchbuild a set door mounted guns. How I managed to do it at age 14 and armed with a blunt stanley knife without slicing my fingers off I shall never know. I've always fancied getting it finished to a standard I'd be happy with.

Well, my 2 cents.
Aurora/AMT/Monogram(?) B-26. Fits were terrible, in some cases, I managed to sand troughs at the joints trying to get things even. There was only 1 decal, it had all the markings, it was just one large 12 x 5 sheet that you had to trim to fit. It was also missing a couple of prominent markings. The decal included 6 stripe invasion markings (not the official 5). It had 14 cylinder engines (R-2600) vs. the appropriate 18 cylinder (R-2800). There is well over 3 oz of weight in the nose, plus plumber's lead in the nose wheel to keep it from tail sitting.

My worst kit/nightmare was a Monogram 1/48 P38 that was purchased around 8 years ago. When the box was opened the wings jumped out and formed a U shape the flash was really really bad. I thought no biggie I will just take my time and sand off those rivets and make the night fighter after the area aft of the canopy is cut out and the second crewmans piece is installed all will take care of itself.

1. the wings did not fit/align/unwarp even after gluing together.

2. the area that was cut out to make room for the second crewman did not align and it took soooo much shaving that I ended up just attaching it and using a 1/4 tube of Squadron green putty. to get it to some sort of acceptable.

3. now the wing did not retain its proper shape after all of the surgery.

4. the rest of the parts had massive amounts of flash.

5. the tail booms had a curious warp that even after working on them and gluing them together the stab holes were off so much that they were covered over with sheet styrene and new ones cut out.

NEVER FINISHED THE KIT. I used some of the plastic and thinner to make putty, and divided the rest of the parts between the trash can and the parts box.

I never have had a problem with Monogram before or since, quality control must have been out to lunch when this kit came down the line.

Bob

I few posts back I made a tongue and cheek comment about a campaign. So on a serious note, what about a campaign in which the rules are,

1) Any subject, any era, any scale
2) Must not be previously recognize as a superior/well made/good quality kit; must be a crappy kit
3) Must have cost less than the eqvivalent of $10.00 U.S.
4) Does not need to be painted to be considered finished, but if painted must be brush painted.
5) Must have markings; must use the kit decals OR marking can be painted
6) No aftermarket or scratch built parts allowed

And call it the "When I was Kid" or "Keep it Simple" or "Worst of the Worst" or some such nonsense.

Any takers?

Rule #3 would probably cause a bit of bother. However, having said that I definitely have a contender.

The box says 1/48 but the fuselage measures closer to 1/53 while the wing is 1/66! There's no interior but that really doesn't matter because

There are no windows either! And check out the amazing detail in the engine.

Chamber of horrors?

I like the idea of a Worst of the Worst campaign; any kind of aircraft model, built out of box, brush painted.
This is my idea for a campaign ribbon.



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LOVE IT!

@Jess, so is Chamber of Horrors not unlike The Closet of Shame?

Campaign proposed, see topic in the campaign section.

Is it time to enlist now? My Starfix Spitfire was assembled but not painted but I've got a PM F100A to enter. I'll have to find the decals for the Hun. It would be fun to have a number one, two and three Worst of the Worst at the conclusion of the WW Campaign; by popular vote of the participants.

{fx: spooky horror-show voice with lots of reverb, Twilingt Zone music in the background}
The chamber of horrors is where the Bad Kits go...
{/fx}

@ Brent, we have a couple three or four intersted in the campaign, once we meet the minimum I'll set a start and end date. I'm thinking anything by PM would be an excellent choice. And by "excellent"...

@Jess

Brilliant idea!

The worst kit I ever built? My stash. That is the worst thing I ever built. It keeps getting larger and larger and more expensive.

Does this mean we have to start from scratch on a "known" bad kit (ie: A Model, Frog, Novo, PM, Mach Two etc) or can it be one that we've started and gave up on cause there was little to no hope??